Dropbox Alternatives: 10 Best Cloud Storage Services

Dropbox is one of the best cloud storages out there and when you take into account its ease of use and responsiveness, it beats most of the competition. From setting up the service for the first time to using it on a daily basis, it is the simplest cloud storage solution you can use. But, not everything is perfect in the world of Dropbox. There are certain flaws which might send you on a long journey, looking for its alternative. One such feature or rather lack of it is the absence of end-to-end encryption. Dropbox does not encrypt your files when you are uploading it to their cloud, thereby, creating a major security risk. Also, the free version provides an anaemic 2GB of cloud storage.

Whatever, the reason might be, it’s always good to research a little bit before you are ready to buy in an ecosystem, as for most of us it’s a long term decision. So, whether you are a newbie who is looking for good cloud storage option or is someone who is looking for a Dropbox alternative, you have come to the right place. Here are top 10 Dropbox alternatives you can try out for yourself today:

10 Best Dropbox Alternatives For Cloud Storage

1. Google Drive

If you are someone who is looking for a cloud storage for your personal use only, Google Drive is the best Dropbox alternative for you. It acts and behaves much like Dropbox. What this means is that it is easy to set up and even easier to use. But why should you chose Google Drive over Dropbox? Good question, firstly the free version of Google Drive gives you access to 15 GB of cloud storage. In comparison, Dropbox only gives you 2 GB on a free account. However, you should keep in mind that the 15 GB storage is shared between various Google services including Gmail and Photos. Still, it’s a better deal than Dropbox. Also, the paid plans of Google Drive are more flexible than that of Dropbox.

Secondly, with Google Drive, you also get access to various inbuilt Google’s productivity tools such as Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar, Hangouts and what not. This means that not only you can upload and share documents, you can even create one inside the drive itself. Also, if you want to use the drive for business usage, you can easily subscribe to Google’s G suite which is the amalgamation of all the best Google’s tools. Starting at $10/month/user, apart from getting the unlimited storage you also get a professional Google-powered email along with access to all the analytical tools provided by Google. That is a pretty sweet deal if you ask me.

Google Drive goes toe to toe with Dropbox when it comes to rest of the features like cross-platform availability, instant-sync, ability to share your files, collaborating with other individuals, and so on. In additions, it also provides better free version usage, better pricing plans for individuals and plethora of tools which can help small business grow. It is cheaper and better alternative in my opinion.

2. Tresorit

You know a product is good if the owner is ready to literally put his money on it. Tresorit is one such product, which is so confident of its security features that it has a $50,000 bounty for anyone who can breach its security. No wonder, it is the most secured cloud storage out there. So, if you are a privacy fanatic or just someone who wants to keep his files secured inside an almost impregnable cloud vault, Tresorit was built keeping you in mind.

When you are using popular cloud storage platforms such as Dropbox or Google Drive, your files are not encrypted when you are uploading them. This means that anyone working at these service providers can peek into your files if they want to. Tresorit is different. It has end-to-end encryption with cryptographic key sharing technologies. What this means is that your files are encrypted from the moment you initiate the upload process. When you share a file with someone they cannot see it until you give them a secure password which will act as a key to unlock the encryption.

Not only that Tresorit also follows Zero-knowledge authentication. That’s just a fancy way of saying that your service provider (Tresorit, in this case) does not save any of the passwords and encryption keys, making it impossible for anyone even the workers at Tresorit to access your file. Since you have the key which is locally stored on your computer, either you or the people you have chosen to share the files with can view it. Other features include cross-platform support, 1TB storage, unlimited version recovery and much more. It doesn’t have any free version, however, you can use it for a trial period of 14 days before you decide to purchase.

3. Sync.com

If you are someone who bestows equal priorities to usability and security, Sync.com is the better option out there. Sure Tresorit is more secure but it is also not that much user-friendly. Also, Tresorit fails when it comes to collaboration something Sync.com really excels at. I know the name can be a little confusing considering there’s a “.com” at the end of the name, but do not worry, it has apps for all the major platforms including macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android.

Like Tresorit it also uses “Zero-knowledge authentication” making your files secure from even the eyes of the hosts. Sync’s major advantage over Tresorit is how it handles collaboration. It is much more intuitive and easy to understand. You share the folder you want to collaborate on, giving other members access to it. You can grant different level of permissions to different members. For example, you can give members editing rights or view rights only. You can also allow members to invite other people.

Also, living true to its name, the sync is incredibly fast. Of course, sync time will depend upon your network speed, but it also depends on your service providers. If you are on a slow network you can specify the amount of bandwidth you want Sync to access leaving the bandwidth you might want to use for other purposes. It also has a free version which allows 5 GB storage option. All in all, it is a good alternative to Dropbox, if you are looking for something which is closer to it when it comes to usability yet far more secure.

4. OneDrive

You knew that this one was coming and here it is. Microsoft’s OneDrive gives the closest competition to Dropbox and Google Drive. It is similar in functionality, has cross-platform app support and the sync is fast and instantaneous. Same as Google Drive, it also has a free version which gives you access to 15 GB of storage. OneDrive pricing plans are also very flexible, allowing you to chose the plan which suits your needs. Maybe the biggest advantage of using OneDrive is that when you opt to become a paid member you get access to the whole Office suite at no additional cost.

This is an incredible deal if you are a student or are someone who works a lot on Word and Excel. Google’s own offering has evolved over the years but Microsoft is still the king when it comes to productivity tools such as Excel and Word. Since Office has taken the cloud route now, it also allows you to collaborate with others on the same document on a real-time basis.

OneDrive also comes with inbuilt OneNote support, which is one of the best note-taking apps out there. You can create a list, write quick notes, scan your documents and what not. Whether you are a student or someone who is already tied up in Microsoft’s ecosystem, OneDrive is one of the best options out there. The free bundle of Office 365 with the paid version of OneDrive makes this deal even sweeter.

Free Storage Space: 5 GB

Premium Plans & Pricing: 50 GB for $1.99/month, Office 365 Home with Premium OneDrive Features for $99.99/year, and office 365 Personal with Premium OneDrive Features for $69.99/year.

5. Box

Box is what Dropbox would have been if it had focused more on the business users rather than individual users. Box is made with keeping the needs of businesses in mind. Once you create an account, you can access Box from its websites or its apps which support all the major platforms including Linux. Any folder you put into the Box-folder will sync automatically. But, every other app on this list does that, then what makes Box different?

The difference comes right at the top with the company’s strategy. As mentioned earlier, Box focuses more on businesses rather than individuals. It does that by providing one of the best collaborative tools in the market. It does that by integrating various third-party apps. For example, Box has inbuilt Microsoft’s Office suite support, which allows you to edit your documents online without even downloading them. Not only that your team can collaborate on a document on a real time basis. It also adds chat support, meaning you can chat with your teammates from right within the document you are working on.

Office 365 integration is just an example, Box has integrated with numerous third-party service providers, which means that it supports a large number of file types, that you can store, view and edit online, together with your team. It also saves all the previous iterations of the files you are working on, thereby safeguarding your data against accidental mistakes and deletion. If you are looking for a cloud storage provider for your business which is not only focusing on storing your files but also lets your member collaborate on them, Box is the way to go. It has a free trial, after which you will have to pay.

6. pCloud

pCloud is a name which is not so famous in the cloud storage world right now, but it is one of the best cloud storage providers out there. pCloud’s paid subscription plans are very flexible, allowing a user to choose not only the storage sizes but also the different features according to their needs. Considering pCloud is a Swiss company, it comes as no surprise that it focuses a lot on the security features. With both free and premium plans, you get better security options than Dropbox. If you want even more security, you can opt for the pCloud Crypto ($3.99/year), which will encrypt all your data with the key only available to you. You can estimate the quality of its security by the fact that, pCloud has announced a bounty of $100,000 for anyone who can breach it.

Apart from security, one of the best features of pCloud is that you don’t have to manage a separate folder on your device, it can sync anything and everything present on your device. This makes pCloud unique as it doesn’t take any space on your computer. You can work as you used to while pCloud syncs everything you have given it access to in the background. If you still have doubts (as it is not so well known), just look at its customers list. pCloud boasts of serving the top industry leaders such as CocaCola, Pepsi, Snapchat, LinkedIn, and Uber among others.

7. SpiderOak One

SpiderOak ONe is another Dropbox alternative that also focuses heavily on security features. It has all the usual security features which we have discussed earlier including end-to-end encryption and Zero-knowledge service. One thing SpiderOak excels at is giving users a more granular control over the settings and preferences. However, this also makes this app a little more complex. It also focuses more on enterprise solutions and hence it is also priced on a higher side. The sync time is a little bit slower as compared to other apps on this list. Also, the servers are based in the US, which means your privacy is not protected as securely by government laws as in EU countries. Still, the service till now has lived up to its claims, and you can use the basic version for free to check it out.

8. Mega

If you are someone who enjoys free services and still needs a little more storage than what’s provided by other cloud storage providers on the list, give Mega a try. The free version of Mega gives you access to a whopping 50 GB of free storage, which way more than what you get with Dropbox.Apart from a juicy free offering, Mega also supports end-to-end encryption. Like others, it also has cross-platform app support allowing you to access your data from any device. You can share folders and collaborate with other people if you want to. There’s also an inbuilt chat functionality, which helps you chat with other collaborators without leaving the app. It also has browser extensions which give you quick access to your files. There’s a lot to like here, and you should definitely check this one out.

9. Jottacloud

Jottacloud is a Norwegian company which prides itself in providing unlimited storage. There are only two plans, either you can use the free version, which gives you access to meagre 5GB of data or you can go for the paid plans, which give you unlimited storage. The service also provides extra functions like syncing and backing up of all your photos. You do not have to create any extra folder, the Jottacloud Photos will automatically sync each and every photo present on your device. Being a Norwegian company, it also focuses a lot on privacy. This one is best for someone who doesn’t want to deal with tier pricing. You subscribe once and you have access to unlimited storage and all the tools that come with it.

10. TeamDrive

TeamDrive is another good Dropbox alternative. Your files are secured using the state of the art 256-AES algorithm. It also supports Zero-knowledge privacy along with encrypted link sharing. One unique feature here is that you can choose your cloud hosting service here. You can either go for their own secure cloud or you can set up your own servers. Collaboration and sharing of files are inbuilt allowing multiple people to access and work on the same files. The free version only provides 5 GB of storage and you have to go Pro if you want to fully utilise it.

Bonus: Boxcryptor

We have covered the best Dropbox alternatives in this article, but what if you don’t want to switch from Dropbox and yet want to secure your files. That’s where Boxcryptor comes to your help. Whether you use Dropbox or other popular cloud storage services such as Box or Google Drive, it integrates and encrypts your files.

The best part is that it is free to use if you are using it for non-commercial uses. When you use it, all your files are end-to-end encrypted with Zero-knowledge privacy. The free version allows you to use only one device and one cloud service provider. For using multiple service providers and devices, you will have to buy the premium plans which are not exactly cheap. Still, it’s best for someone who either doesn’t want to lose on the simplicity of Dropbox or doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of moving to another cloud service provider.

Free Plan: Encrypt 1 Device and 1 Cloud Storage

Premium Plans & Pricing: Unlimited Personal for $48/year, Unlimited Business for $96/year and Company Package For $8/user/month.

Use The Best Cloud Storage Services Instead of Dropbox

Dropbox is the first service which made cloud storage services a mainstream tool, but this doesn’t mean it is flawless. The main concern is around its security features which frankly aren’t very good. There are also cheaper options out there, which give Dropbox a run for its money. Before you decide to lock yourself up in a cloud ecosystem, try our best picks. Do let us know if you think we missed a good one. We appreciate user engagement and love to read our reader’s responses.

8 COMMENTS

Hi Marcus, We are currently using fropbox which suits our needs completely for our small business of 3 however we are looking for an alternative as the business plans are expensive. We mainly need it to act like dropbox where files are stored locally on each device and just synced. We use CAD and Indesign files which have many files linked so we don’t want to have to download folders each time we want to edit anything. Best suggestion?

Just a little correction: MEGA offers 15+35GB, and the 35GB is valid for 30 days from registration. Also you can earn additional GB’s by inviting friends or installing their syncing software, but those are also only valid for 180 days.

Great report. I found it because I’m considering finding an alternative to Dropbox. It works fine for the most part but I’ve just encountered a problem (not for the first time) where it seems to have forgotten to sync with the folder. You try re-attaching the folder. Nightmare. As I hadn’t noticed straight away there are some changes to the synced folder. If I try to sync it back, it just creates a new folder and starts copying everything again. It offers the option to re-attach the original folder but I must have missed one of the latest changes and it just won’t do it. What I’m really interested in knowing is, if I change my cloud storage, what one would be best for me. I’m a film maker so subscribe to 1TB of storage. I need to be able to upload film footage for sharing but it must only be accessible by whoever I share with. All I need is plenty of cloud space for film footage really. What would you recommend?